Fall into Place
by TheAstronautic
Summary: What if in Stolen Earth, Rose had been shot by the Dalek instead of the Doctor? How would he cope? And will the Doctor discover the secret Rose has been hiding? Rated T just to be on the very, very safe side.
1. Chapter 1

**Ok, this is my first fanfiction, so don't be too hard on this. But constructive criticism is always allowed. I hope you enjoy this, and review!**

* * *

"Why don't you ask her yourself?"

_What? _He frowned at her. She couldn't possibly mean….

Donna fixed her gaze on something past his shoulder. He turned around slowly, hoping against hope it was who he thought it was.

_It was. _

All the way down the street. The only thing he could do was stare. Her brilliant smile lit up the dismal night. She began to run while he looked at her a few moments longer. Oh, how she'd changed. She looked more mature, like she'd seen more things. No doubt something to do with Torchwood.

Before he could stop himself and gather his wits about him, he began to run. _Fast. _Never in all of his 900 odd years of travelling had he run so fast as right now. Impossible feelings and thoughts were swirling around in his head. _She was here. She was alive. _He had a smile that stretched from ear to ear. Her face reflected his. How he'd missed that smile. This was the happiest he'd been in two years!

Then the unspeakable happened.

The Doctor was so caught up in reaching his Rose, he hadn't noticed the stray Dalek appear from behind some debris on the street. He realized a second too late. The Dalek released that all-too-familiar cry of _EXTERMINATE!, _and a blue laser shot from its whisk-looking weapon. At first, the Doctor thought it was directed at him; after all he did kind of destroy their entire race-multiple times- but he was mistaken. It was headed straight towards the person whom he cared about most in this universe or any other.

Rose.

He froze in shock and panic as it struck her squarely in the chest. She gave a cry that sounded right into the Doctor's soul and shattered both his hearts. He heard Donna gasp and start to run behind him. Captain Jack appeared out of thin air and struck the bloody Dalek down with a blaster. The Doctor felt tears start to well in his eyes as he ran towards her collapsed body.

He was hoping the laser had just grazed her, but that wasn't the case. Extermination was instant. She was already gone by the time he reached her. Donna and Jack rushed to the Doctor's side.

The Doctor was angry now. "No, no, no, no, NO!" Jack and Donna leaped back, surprised by the sudden fierceness in his voice. "You can't leave now, not after everything that's happened!" Donna crouched beside him, tears finding their way down her face, and placed a sympathetic hand on his shoulder. He shrugged it off. "I WAITED FOR YOU! TWO BLOODY YEARS! I thought that since you've always come back to me before, you'd find me again. I was right. You were almost there, but, you go off and get yourself ki-…" He couldn't finish the sentence. Instead, he let loose a heartbreaking yell that echoed off the facades of the empty houses and into the cold night.

* * *

**I am planning on making this into a multiple chapter story if people enjoy it. So please review and tell me if I should continue this or not, it would be very appreciated! :)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Ok! Here is chapter two for you guys. Sorry they're still a little short, but they'll get longer. A big thank you to everyone who has followed, favorited and reviewed! I really, truly appreciate it and I hope this story will continue to hold your interest. Read on!**

* * *

The Doctor was clutching her lifeless body close to him, no doubt restricting her breathing. If she still could. Jack was looking on at them with obvious sorrow etched into his features. He knew that if he didn't pull Rosie's body away from the Doctor, the Doctor would crush the poor thing, or even worse, the Daleks would find them. Ever so gently, with Donna's help, they eased the body out of the Doctor's grasp. He glared at them maliciously, but was too full of grief to do anything but sit there, like an abandoned puppy.

Jack took Rose's body in his arms and slowly started to carry her back to the TARDIS. He stepped with surprisingly gentle movements, even though she wouldn't feel anything anymore. Donna sat with the Doctor, knowing words wouldn't help, but that someone's presence next to him was all he needed. After all, the Doctor should never be alone.

He wasn't making any noise, except for the steady drip of tears on the pavement. Donna looked up at his face and was almost stunned by the sadness and angst that swirled in his eyes. She was certain that she had never seen anything this broken before. He hadn't even blinked. He just sat. Staring at nothing. She wasn't even sure if he had acknowledged her presence.

After a few minutes of silence, she stood up. She should probably go check on Jack in the TARDIS, but she couldn't leave the Doctor out here with Daleks running about the streets. Donna decided to get the Captain to help her drag the Time Lord back. Just as she turned to leave she heard the Doctor speak.

"Please stay." It was barely audible, but Donna complied. He needed his best friend with him in his hour of need. She knelt down in front of him until she was eye-level. She spoke in the most comforting voice she could manage. "Doctor. I am so sorry. But we really need to get out of here. The Daleks could find us. And I do NOT plan on dying tonight." She tried to smile, but the corners of her mouth were weighed down, so she only managed a grimace.

He seemed to get the message, though.

He nodded, and Donna reached out her hand and hauled him up. They both walked in silence back to the TARDIS.

* * *

**Jack's POV**

Jack's eyes were wet. This was almost as bad as reading her name on the list of the dead at Canary Wharf. But not quite.

He was nearing the TARDIS when he chanced a look at her. She'd cut her hair. And she was still peroxide blonde. Jack almost smiled. But that almost-smile faded when he looked at her face. Her eyes were still half-open, no longer that hazel so full of wonder and brilliance, but a lifeless grey. That broke the dams. Tears fell freely down his cheek and off the tip of his nose down onto her beautiful face. She's aged. Even in death, he could see the sadness and loss in her dull eyes. The old eyes that didn't match the rest of her young body.

She looked too much like the Doctor and Jack. And that almost tore him apart. She was just like the sister he never had. He loved her (in a completely platonic way, mind you) and to see her gone way before her time was tragic.

He opened the TARDIS doors and began walking her across the console room and down the hallways. He twisted his head so he could look everywhere at once. It had been a while. Jack could feel the TARDIS in his head, leaving him with a sympathetic and calming impression. It made him feel a little better.

He'd memorized this place the last time he'd been here. So he took Rose's body down to where he knew the infirmary would be. The TARDIS tried her best to make it feel as comfortable as possible, with the lights emitting a warm glow, and the air being less synthetic and fresher.

Jack laid her body down on one of the beds inside the med-bay and tried not to look at the white, clinical countertops filled with medical tools that circled the room. He'd never liked going to the doctor; or the dentist, for that matter.

He was just lifting his hands away from her when his finger snagged on her blue leather jacket, and he heard a _clink-clink-clink _as something fell from her pocket and bounced along the floor before settling underneath a cushioned chair.

"What the….?" He bent to reach for it.

He brought it up to his face to examine. It was a small, silver fob watch.

* * *

**Alright, well. I plan to update at LEAST once a week. May be sooner. It just depends. Sorry about this cliffie but I really couldn't resist. Anyway thank you! Also, please review! :)**


	3. Chapter 3

**All right! Chapter 3! I've had a lot of time recently to write, so this is here a little early! Thanks so much for all the new reviews, favorites, and follows! Much appreciated.**

* * *

Jack stared at the watch. Why Rose would have such a fob watch in her possession, he had no idea. He slowly turned it in his hand, and revealed that the other side had intricate circular patterns etched into its surface. He tried to click it open, using the latch at the top, but to no avail. Hmm. Must be broken. He slipped it into a large pocket on his blue navy coat. He would ask the Doctor about it later; it didn't look like it originated from Earth. But maybe he wanted it for more selfish reasons.

_No. Don't you dare. The Doctor deserves to know, _he reminded himself.

He should probably get back to the Doctor and Donna now to make sure they're alright. With one last glance at Rose, he turned on his heel and strode out of the room.

* * *

**The Doctor and Donna**

Just as they were about to reach the TARDIS doors, four Daleks appeared out of nowhere and surrounded the TARDIS.

"REPORT: THE TARDIS HAS BEEN LOCAT- IT IS THE DOCTOR!"

The Doctor and Donna scrambled to unlock the TARDIS doors. At least the Daleks couldn't get them in there. But, alas, they didn't have enough time. The Dalek nearest them raised its extermination ray, but at that moment, another Dalek started to interrupt.

"NO! DO NOT SHOOT! THE SUPREME DALEK NEEDS THE DOCTOR ALI—"

Too late. The ray burst forth and struck the Doctor, barely grazing his side as the Dalek realized what it had done.

"Gaaah!" he yelled. Donna rushed forth, holding back a shout of fear, and steadied the Doctor while shoving open the TARDIS doors and slamming them behind her. Quick thinking on her part.

"Doctor! Tell me what to do! What do I do?" She was panicking now. She didn't know how to fix this. Jack, hearing the commotion, burst into the control room.

"_What is going on?" _The Captain glanced down to the Doctor's injury, then back up to his face, and realized what had happened. _Bloody idiot. _

"Hurry! Get him into the med-bay! Quick!" Donna and Jack both half-carried, half-dragged the Doctor through the doors to the infirmary. They laid him down on the table next to Rose's body, where he started convulsing.

Donna was scared. "There must be some medicine or something!"

"No," Jack replied. "He's on his own now."

Donna was absolutely disgusted with this response. "We can't just leave him here! He needs help!" Jack tore his gaze away from the Doctor's writhing form and looked straight at Donna.

"There is nothing we can do, Donna." She was still terrified, he could tell. Why wouldn't she be? "It's alright, he's not going to die." He smiled to himself. He'd used to think a Time Lord's ability to regenerate was just a myth. But he knew that wasn't so; and now he was going to see it in person, for the first time. He was thrilled, despite the situation.

The Doctor stood up, supporting himself on the table, and looked at Donna.

"I'm sorry, Donna. It's too late, I'm regenerating." He turned away and held his arms out and stared at the ceiling while golden light burst from his limbs and face. Donna was shocked; she'd never seen anything like it.

After a few seconds of standing there, he turned and directed his arms at Rose's body. The energy he was producing flowed into her and she started to glow a bright gold. The light stopped shooting from the Doctor's arms, and he stumbled back, breathing deeply, apparently unchanged.

All had forgotten the regeneration and were instead staring at Rose. The Doctor's eyes widened hopefully, but then went back to their original melancholy when her grey pallor returned, the golden light apparently lost.

Donna didn't know what he expected, but Jack did. He and the Doctor both let their shoulders slump in defeat. This was when Donna decided to interrupt their moping, and get some information.

"_What. Was. That?"_ She stared at them both meaningfully, until the Doctor replied.

"Time Lords, when we're about to die, we do this thing called regenerating. It repairs and changes every single cell in our body; creating a new man, but with the same memories."

Donna stared at him for a second, apparently realizing that he hadn't changed. "Why haven't you changed then? You having me on?" Her fear quickly converted into anger.

"No, no! I was about halfway through the regeneration cycle. Used the regeneration energy to heal myself, but as soon as that was done I didn't need to change. I didn't want to, why would I? Look at me." Donna rolled her eyes while he straightened his tie. "So, to stop the energy from going all the way, I would siphon off the rest into a bio-matching receptacle, but since Rose's biology doesn't match mine, I thought that maybe she might still have some of the time vortex within her with which the regeneration energy could bond with (they are very similar) and….." He trailed off. "I guess I was wrong. Stupid old man… why would that even work? The energy shouldn't have even been able to enter her system if her biology didn't match mine or the energy bonding didn't work and I would have still regenerated… so why did it…?" he started rambling to himself.

Just then, all the power in the TARDIS went out. "Doctor!" Donna yelled. "What's happening?" They all began running to the console room.

"They got us! The power's gone…" the Doctor replied, toggling switches and pressing buttons. "Some kind of chrono loop! Something to do with the Daleks outside, I'll bet…" The TARDIS tilted and swayed dangerously.

"There's a massive Dalek ship at the center of the planets. They're calling it the Crucible. I guess that's our destination," Jack said.

"You said they were using the planets like an engine. What for?" Donna asked the Doctor.

"Rose's universe, Pete's World, ran a little ahead of this one. She would probably know," the Doctor replied dismally.

"Wait!" Donna exclaimed. "She said the stars are going out! She said the darkness was coming. Doesn't that mean anything?" Suddenly, the monitor started to beep. The Doctor bounded over and swung the screen over to him. It showed a blinking red light amid the stolen planets.

"The Dalek Crucible. All aboard."

* * *

**Ok, end of chapter 3. I'll update soon because I have many, many ideas in my head and I need to write them down before I forget. So thank you all! And don't forget to review!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Ok, sorry I didn't update sooner. Bit of a writer's block. But here's the next chapter... so I suppose, continue!**

* * *

The TARDIS floor rumbled as they were brought down on the Crucible.

"THE TARDIS IS SECURED." Great. There were Daleks right outside.

"DOCTOR. YOU WILL STEP FORTH OR DIE." The Doctor stood still, looking forward toward the doors.

"We'll have to go out," he said quietly. "'Cause if we don't they'll get in." Donna looked at him, surprised.

"You told me nothing could get through those doors."

Jack interjected. "You've got extrapolator shielding!" The Doctor turned around to look at them both. "The last time we fought the Daleks, they were scavengers, and hybrids, and mad. But this is a fully-fledged Dalek empire; at the height of its power. Experts at fighting TARDISES, they can do anything. Right now, that wooden door…," Donna and Jack just stared at him. "Is just wood."

* * *

Jack and the Doctor started to try to formulate plans that could get them out of this mess, all of which were failures. Donna could hear their words, but their meaning was long lost to her.

"Jack, what about your teleport?" The Doctor was asking.

"Went down with the power loss."

"Right then. All of us together, yeah?"

Donna could hear a heartbeat. A single heartbeat. Calling to her. She could feel it resonating behind her eyes, reflecting and bouncing off the sides of her mind. _What was it? _

"Donna?"

She had to find out what it was, where it was coming from. _Where could it be coming from?_ Certainly not the Doctor, he had two hearts…..

"Donna."

She started and flicked her gaze up to his, the whisper startling her out of her reverie. "Yeah."

"I'm sorry, there's nothing else we can do," he said in an apologetic tone. She was confused. Did he think she was scared of a few bloody Daleks?

"No, I know," she said bemusedly.

"Ok," he said, almost inaudibly. _What had just happened?_ He sniffed then turned around.

"SURRENDER, DOCTOR, AND FACE YOUR DALEK MASTERS."

"CRUCIBLE ON MAXIMUM ALERT."

Jack grinned. "Daleks. Oh no!" he said sarcastically.

The Doctor faced the door then turned his head to look at Donna and Jack in turn. "It's been good though, hasn't it? All of us. All of it. Everything we did." He turned to look at Donna. "You were brilliant." She grinned and dipped her head in acknowledgment. He faced Jack. "And you were brilliant." He smiled. The Doctor looked down. "Blimey." He turned to the TARDIS doors, then began to walk out, Jack following. Donna took a breath, and took slow steps.

The Doctor's head poked out of the doors and the Supreme Dalek could be heard clearly.

"DALEKS REIGN SUPREME. ALL HAIL THE DALEKS!" The rest of the Daleks echoed the words. But just as Donna was at the doors, she stopped. She could hear it again. The heartbeat. Still beckoning. Not quite there, yet not quite gone.

* * *

"Okay….."

"BEHOLD, DOCTOR. BEHOLD THE MIGHT OF THE TRUE DALEK RACE. "

* * *

Wait…. She could hear where it was coming from. She turned to face the console.

"Donna!" She could hear the Doctor, but it wasn't important. "We're no safer in there…."

Hmm. No use. She couldn't pinpoint the source. Donna turned back to the doors right when they slammed shut. She tried the handle; it was locked. "Doctor! What've you done?"

His voice carried through the wood. "It wasn't me, I didn't do anything!" he cried indignantly.

"Oi! I'm not stayin' behind!" she shouted. Then she could hear the Doctor start to argue with the Supreme Dalek.

"What did you do?" he demanded.

"THIS IS NOT OF DALEK ORIGIN." It replied. "Doctor!" Donna yelled.

"Stop it!" The Doctor was not happy now. "She's my friend. Now open the door and let her out."

"THIS IS TIME LORD TREACHERY!"

The Doctor was thoroughly confused as well as angry. "The doors don't just close on their own!"

"NEVERTHELESS, THE TARDIS IS A WEAPON AND IT WILL BE DESTROYED." On that note, the TARDIS dropped right through the floor and through the vents underneath the Crucible, carrying a panicking Donna with it.

"_What are you doing?!"_ the Doctor cried. "_BRING IT BACK! _What have you done?! Where's it going?"

"THE CRUCIBLE HAS A HEART OF ZED-NUTRINO ENERGY. THE TARDIS WILL BE DEPOSITED INTO THE CORE."

"But you can't, the defenses are down." The Doctor was quiet now, but it evaporated quickly. "IT WILL BE TORN APART!"

* * *

**Ok, I really apologize for this basically just being a rewrite of the scene, but I couldn't really get around it. The next chapter will be more interesting, no doubt. But thanks to everyone who's added this as a favorite, or is following, and has reviewed. Very much accepted and appreciated!**


	5. Chapter 5

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Doctor Who. It belongs to the BBC**

* * *

Inside the TARDIS, Donna was screaming as fires burst from beneath the grating and great explosions shattered the round things. Shards of glass and debris were raining down upon her. She stumbled around as the TARDIS shook and tried to seek refuge behind the console.

Donna held onto the captain's chair as smoke billowed out from every available surface. She choked as the putrid air permeated her lungs.

_There it was again. That heartbeat. The drumming that wouldn't stop. _Donna slowly turned her head, sensing the source somewhere behind her.

_Ah. There you are. _

Golden light was spilling from a notch in the console, between a bluish-looking button and a lever. She reached down a hand, determined to find out what was causing these mind lapses. She felt her hand close around a small, round object. Donna slowly extracted her hand and held the thing in her outstretched palm. _A fob watch. _What was that doing in there? The light was emanating from the place where the two silver halves met, finally joining to erupt from the latch in brilliant show of light. The light was pulsing, and web-like white light ebbed along it.

_Go on. Trapped too long….hidden behind the gears…..caught in the cogs. _

Donna could hear it in her mind, and she knew what she had to do. With light pressure, she pressed her thumb down. The latch clicked and the watch snapped open. The golden light poured forth like rushing water, and flowed onto the floor and out into the corridor.

Suddenly, Donna felt the heartbeat and the presence of the pocket watch leave her mind. Oblivious to the chaos around her, Donna sat herself languidly down on the jump seat. _What had she just done?_

* * *

"YOU ARE CONNECTED TO THE TARDIS. NOW FEEL IT DIE. TOTAL TARDIS DESTRUCTION IN 10 RELS. 9…8…7…6…5...4….3….2…1. THE TARDIS HAS BEEN DESTROYED."

The Doctor and Jack looked helplessly at the spot the TARDIS had been, not one second ago. Anger and desperation welled up within their chests.

"NOW TELL ME, DOCTOR. WHAT DO YOU FEEL? ANGER? SORROW? DESPAIR?"

The Doctor stood rigid, not facing the Dalek. His next word was a sad whisper. "Yeah."

"THEN IF EMOTIONS ARE SO IMPORTANT, SURELY WE HAVE ENHANCED YOU?"

Jack spun around. "Yeah? Feel this!" He pulled a gun out of his pocket and began firing upon the Supreme Dalek; at the same time noticing the absence of the fob watch as the gun was retracted. _What? Where'd it gone?! _He had no time to think, however, as a Dalek laser shot straight through him. He let out a shriek, and fell flat on his face, dead.

"YOU ARE THE PLAYTHING OF DAVROS NOW." As the Doctor was slowly led away, he stole a look behind him. Jack winked.

* * *

Donna looked up from her place on the captain's chair to the sound of approaching footsteps. She was so startled she leaped up from the seat, frantically searching for something to use as a weapon. _Aha!_ She held the Doctor's mallet defensively in the direction of the footsteps.

It clashed to the floor as Donna recognized the face of Rose Tyler.

* * *

**Ok, sorry this is so short. I couldn't really think of a better place to cut off the chapter. Also, please review and tell me if I've just missed a major plot hole or something. It's kind of hard to proofread your own work when it already makes sense in your head. Anyway, thanks to everyone who has made this a favorite, followed, or reviewed! **


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who. All rights to the BBC.**

* * *

"_W-what?" _Donna stuttered. Rose Tyler was alive; breathing, walking! How was this possible?! "B-but… you died!"

Rose Tyler swiveled her head around to eye Donna curiously. "Well not anymore. Obviously. Now, time to get out of here before we burn." Rose strode past the gaping Donna, through the debris, and began flipping switches and pressing buttons, twirling around the console in an intricate dance only she knew. The TARDIS dematerialized and once Rose was sure they were safe and out of harm's way, she turned back to Donna.

Donna was still at a loss for words. What could she say? She didn't even know what'd happened. She needed some answers.

"How are you alive? And how did you control the TARDIS? No one except the Doctor can do that, and certainly no human." An amused smile lit up Rose Tyler's face.

"Well, I'm not exactly a human anymore," she replied. Donna's jaw dropped even further, if possible.

"What d'ya mean, 'not human anymore'?"

"Exactly that. All due to you and that fob watch there." Rose glanced down to Donna's hand. Donna followed her gaze and saw the watch trapped in her fist's vice-like grip. She immediately relaxed her arm's muscles and held it out to Rose. "Is this yours?"

"Yeah, actually. Thanks." Rose lightly plucked the object out of her palm. "Anyway, this watch holds the consciousness of a Time Lord… or Lady. That was the golden light you saw." Donna stared blankly.

"So does that mean….?" Donna didn't finish.

"Yes."

"But you're human! The Doctor said so himself! There are no more Time Lords." Donna was desperately trying to wrap her mind around this phenomenon. A smirk became visible on Rose's face.

"I didn't think so either. But apparently, we were all wrong. That watch was me. After I died, the watch should have died with me. But it held on. When the Doctor thrust his regeneration energy into me, I was still human, and I couldn't adapt to it. If I wanted to come back, I needed my body to be compatible with the regeneration energy. My body used a little of the regeneration energy, at high risks, to send a signal to you," Rose explained.

"But why me?" Donna asked, incredulous.

"Because you're special," Rose replied, without thought.

"I keep telling everyone, I'm not."

"I mean you are, you…._oh._ You really don't believe that, do you?" Rose walked up to Donna and placed her fingertips on her temples. "I can see, Donna, what you're thinking. All that attitude, all that lip, 'cause all this time, you think you're not worth it."

Donna opened her eyes to look at Rose's closed ones. "Stop it." Rose continued anyway.

"Shouting at the world because no one's listening. Well, why should they?"

"Rose, stop it."

Rose opened up her eyes and stepped backwards a few feet. "But look at what you did! You brought me back!" She wanted Donna to understand. Wanted her to know how important she was.

Donna ignored her and changed the subject. "But how come I only heard one heartbeat when you should have two heartbeats now?"

"Oh, I wasn't a Time Lord yet. But I still needed to get your attention." She dismissed it with a wave of her hand. "It's complicated."

"And you can fly the TARDIS now, too?"

"Yep. Time Lord senses. I also have a special connection to the TARDIS, but never mind that. We need to save everyone else on that bloody Crucible." Rose sighed.

* * *

"COMMENCE DISPOSAL. INCINERATE."

The Daleks were putting Jack's supposedly lifeless body through a machine to be incinerated and destroyed. Good luck with that.

* * *

"Activate the holding cell," Davros commanded. A spotlight surrounded the Doctor and trapped him in the middle of the room. "Excellent. Even when powerless, a Time Lord Is best contained."

"Still scared of me then?" The Doctor reached out a hand to touch the holding cell. A ripple of blue radiated out from beneath his palm. He withdrew his fingers.

"It is time we talked, Doctor, after so very long."

The Doctor was still bent on talking back. "No, no, no, no, no, we're not doing the nostalgia talk, I want to know what's happening right here, right now." He emphasized his point by pointing his index finger toward the ground. "'Cause the Supreme Dalek said 'vault', yeah? As in dungeon, cellar, prison. You're not in charge of the Daleks, are you? They got you locked down here in the basement like what? A servant? Slave? Court jester?"

"We have….an arrangement," Davros hesitantly replied.

"No, no, no, no, no, no, no!" The Doctor ended cruel laugh. "I've got the word; you're the Daleks' pet!"

Davros backed up, flustered. "So very full of fire, are you not? What I wouldn't do to kill you now."

"Then why am I still alive?" the Doctor responded.

"You must be here. It was foretold. Even the Supreme Dalek would not dare to contradict the prophecies of Dalek Caan." Davros flicked a switch on his chair and a spotlight lit up a half-destroyed Dalek casing with a squirming Dalek lodged inside it.

"So cold and dark…fire is coming! The endless flames…." It was saying.

The Doctor observed quietly. "The last of the Cult of Skaro."

"Yes, I have seen in the wild and the wind, the Doctor will be here as witness at the end of everything. The Doctor and his precious Children of Time. And one of them will die!" Caan began to laugh and giggle manically.

The Doctor was full of ire. "Was it you, Caan!? Did you kill Donna? Why did the TARDIS doors close?! TELL ME!"

Davros interrupted. "Ooh! That's it!" The Doctor turned his head sharply to face him. "The anger, the fire, the rage of a Time Lord who tortured millions. There he is. Why so shy? Show your true self. Dalek Caan has promised me that, too."

"I have seen, at the time of ending, the Doctor's soul will be revealed," Caan prophesized, his limbs flinging about at random.

The Doctor was confused. "What does that mean?"

Davros spoke. "We will discover it together; our final journey. Because the ending approaches. The testing begins."

"The testing of what?" the Doctor asked. Davros whirled back around to face him.

"The reality bomb," he said as if the Doctor should already know.

"TESTING CALIBRATION OF REALITY BOMB FIRING IN 10 RELS. 9..8..7…6…5…4….."

"Behold," says Davros. "The apotheosis of my genius."

A holographic screen popped up showing a group of people with their hands behind their heads.

"3….2….1…0. ACTIVATE PLANETARY ALLIGNMENT FIELD."

"But that's zed nutrino energy. Flattened by the alignment of the planets into a single string, no! Davros! Davros, you can't! You can't, no!" yells the Doctor.

One by one, the people began to dissolve into atoms; lost forever.

* * *

Rose stood staring at the monitor in the TARDIS.

"What is that? Rose? What did it do?" Donna was asking.

* * *

"Electrical energy, Doctor. Every atom in existence is bound by an electrical field. The reality bomb cancels it out, structure falls apart. That test was focused on the prisoners alone. Full transmission will dissolve every form of matter." Davros waits for the Doctor's reaction.

"The twenty-seven planets. They become one vast transmitter. Blasting that wavelength," the Doctor answers.

"Across the entire universe. Never stopping, never faltering, never fading. People and planets and stars will become dust, and the dust will become atoms, and the atoms will become... nothing. And the wavelength will continue, breaking through the Rift at the heart of the Medusa Cascade, into every dimension, every parallel, every single corner of creation. This is my ultimate victory, Doctor! The destruction of reality itself!" Davros begins to laugh, mocking the Doctor's helplessness. The Doctor suspected he did so from just pure madness.

"PREPARE FOR UNIVERSAL DETONATION. THE FLEET WILL GATHER AT THE CRUCIBLE. ALL DALEKS WILL RETURN TO SHELTER FROM THE CATACLYSM. WE WILL BECOME THE ONLY LIFEFORMS IN EXISTENCE!" The Supreme Dalek wiggles its plunger and whisk about as the Daleks obey him.

* * *

Rose rushed out from underneath the grating and over to the console, Donna trailing behind. Bits and pieces of machinery and organic-looking material are strewn everywhere. Rose looks almost as energetic as the Doctor does at times like this.

Donna is holding a ray-gun looking thing. "So what is this thing?"

Rose answers without hesitation. "It's our only hope, a zed nutrino biological conversion detaliser." Donna was already confused.

"How do you even know all of this stuff? Do Time Lords just have this knowledge whizzing about in their heads?" Donna asked incredulously.

"No, the TARDIS is telling me what to do," Rose replied nonchalantly. Donna's eyes widened.

"Right. I'm just gonna pretend I never asked that," Donna muttered.

"Anyway," Rose continued,"Davros built those Daleks out of himself, his genetic code runs through the entire Dalek race. If I can use this to lock the Crucible's transmission onto Davros himself…."

"It destroys the Daleks?"

"Biggest backfire in history."

* * *

"INCOMING TRANSMISSION. ORIGIN: PLANET EARTH."

"DISPLAY."

Martha Jones's profile popped up onto the holographic screen.

"This is Martha Jones, representing the Unified Intelligence Taskforce on behalf of the human race," she said in a very professional manner.

"SEND TRANSMISSION TO THE VAULT," the Supreme Dalek turned to the lowly soldier-class Daleks. "CONTINUE TO MONITOR."

"Dalek Crucible, I repeat, can you hear me?"

The Doctor reacted quick. "Put me through!"

Davros ignored him. "It begins as Dalek Caan foretold."

"His Children of Time will gather!" Dalek Caan was speaking from behind Davros. "And one of them will die!"

The Doctor was reaching the end of his rope. "Stop saying that! Put me through!" Martha heard him.

"Doctor!" she exclaimed. Then sobered quickly. "I'm sorry. I had to." Then Davros interrupted once again (very rude, this one). "Oh, but the Doctor is powerless, my prisoner. State your intent."

Martha suddenly turned very serious. "I've got the Osterhagen key. Leave this planet and its people alone. Or I'll use it."

The Doctor was bemused. Osterhagen what? He voiced his thoughts. "Osterhagen what? What's an Osterhagen key?" Martha answered fairly quickly.

"There's a chain of 25 nuclear warheads placed in strategic points beneath the Earth's crust. If I use the key, they detonate and the Earth gets ripped apart."

"_What? _Who invented that – well someone named Osterhagen I suppose – Martha, are you insane?!"

Martha took a deep breath. "The Osterhagen key is to be used if the suffering of the human race is so great, so without hope, that this becomes the final option."

"That's never an option," the Doctor said firmly. Martha was starting to get annoyed. "Don't argue wit me, Doctor! 'Cause it's more than that." The Doctor let her continue. "Now I reckon the Daleks need these 27 planets for something, but what if it becomes 26? What happens then? Daleks? Would you risk it?"

A Dalek interrupted. "SECOND TRANSMISSION; INTERNAL."

"DISPLAY," commanded the Supreme Dalek. A second holographic screen appeared next to Martha's, bearing the image of Captain Jack Harkness, Sarah-Jane Smith, Jackie, and Mickey.

"Captain Jack Harkness, calling all Dalek boys and girls, are you receiving me?" Jack asked in an announcer-like tone. "Don't send in your goods or I'll set this thing off."

The Doctor answered. "Captain, what are you doing?" Jack was holding up a necklace with a crystal-like pendant hanging from it.

"I've got a warpstar wired into the mainframe." The Doctor was horrified. "I break the shell, the whole Crucible goes up."

"You can't! Where did you get a warpstar?!"

Sarah-Jane spoke up. "From me. We had no choice. We saw what happened to the prisoners – "

Another interruption from none other than Davros. "Impossible. That face…after all these years…"

Sarah-Jane seemed just as shocked. "Davros. Yeah, it's been quite a while," she said bitterly. "Sarah-Jane Smith, remember?"

"Oh, this is meant to be." Davros just seemed amused. "The circle of time is closing, you were there, on Skaro at the very beginning of my creation."

"And I've learned how to fight since then. You let the Doctor go, or this warpstar, it gets opened!" she said. The Doctor is looking brokenly at the ground. He's already been through so much tonight…

"I'll do it. Don't imagine I wouldn't," Jack said threateningly, tightening his grip on the warpstar.

Davros seemed to notice the melancholy air about the Doctor. "And the prophecy unfolds," he announced. Dalek Caan spoke up. "The Doctor's soul is revealed." He started cackling. "See him, see the heart of him!"

Davros began to mock the Doctor. "The man who abhors violence, never carrying a gun. But this is the truth, Doctor. You take ordinary people, and you fashion them into weapons. Behold your children of time, transformed into murderers. I made the Daleks, Doctor. You made this."

"They're trying to help," the Doctor whispered.

"Already I have seen them sacrifice today for their beloved Doctor. The Earth woman who fell opening the sub-wave network."

The Doctor was surprised. "Who's that?"

Martha answered. "Harriet Jones. She gave her life to get you here." The Doctor thought about the former Prime Minister. She truly was a great person.

"How many more, just think, how many more have died in your name?" said Davros.

The Doctor began to think. To really think about those who had given their life for him or helping him. Everything from Jabe to Lynda with a 'y', to the Face of Boe and to River Song. The last person he saw was Rose. His beautiful Rose.

* * *

**I'm almost done with the seventh chapter, so expect that up soon. Everything will hopefully be explained in it. Also, after this story is done, I was wondering if you guys wanted me to continue to make a rewrite of season 5,6, and 7. Including Rose, of course. Maybe even a Day of the Doctor rewrite. I also was wondering if I do decide to continue, if I should have Amy, Rory, River, and Clara appear. I'm not sure yet. It's hard to bend the storylines to fit with Rose and her new abilities. So yeah. Please review!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who. All rights to the BBC.**

* * *

"The Doctor, the man who keeps running, never looking back because he dare not, out of shame. This is my final victory, Doctor. I have shown you yourself."

The Doctor was visibly shaken, but he recovered himself fairly quickly, at least on the outside.

"ENOUGH! ENGAGE DEFENSE 05," grated the Supreme Dalek.

"It's the Crucible or the Earth," Martha shot back. Too late. A Dalek stuck its handling mechanism onto a button of some sort. "TRANSMAT ENGAGED." Martha, Jack, Sarah-Jane, Mickey, and Jackie were transported out of their current positions and into the Vault. Both the warpstar and the Osterhagen key were dropped.

"All of you! Stay still!" the Doctor warned.

"Doctor!" called Jackie. "Where's Rose?"

The Doctor felt a surge of guilt but quickly suppressed it. "Not now, Jackie!"

"Guard them! On your knees, all of you. Surrender!" Davros shouted.

"Do as he says." Daleks surrounded the group while they lowered onto their knees and placed their hands behind their heads.

"The final prophecy is in place," said Davros. "The Doctor and his children all gathered as witnesses." He now addressed the Supreme Dalek. "Supreme Dalek, the time has come. Now! DETONATE THE REALITY BOMB!"

"ACTIVATE THE PLANETARY ALLIGNMENT FIELD," commands the Supreme Dalek once more. "UNIVERSAL REALITY DETONATION IN 200 RELS."

"You can't, Davros! Just listen to me! JUST STOP!" The Doctor is very desperate now.

Davros began to laugh like a complete loon. "Nothing can stop the detonation! Nothing! And no one!"

* * *

"Ready! Maximum power!" Rose pulls a lever and she and Donna hold on for dear life as they begin to land. The detaliser was in Rose's hands and they were ready.

* * *

A grating, whooshing sound begins to fill the room. Surprised and shocked eyes turn toward the sudden gust of wind.

The Doctor is lost for words. "But that's – "

"Impossible," says Davros. Surely it can't be here. Could it?

The glorious object began to materialize in the far corner of the room. Three bright lights became two windows and a bulb, faded corners became solid, and thin air just transformed into the bluest blue ever.

A familiar shape opened the door slowly, gun-like object in hand. No one could pinpoint exactly who it was, though. The Doctor had a fairly good idea, but he dismissed it as that would be impossible. But since when did he ever believe in impossibilities?

"Brilliant," Jack breathed.

Davros began to back up slowly in his robotic chair as the shape rushed out, backlit by white light spilling from the TARDIS doors. It was suddenly recognized as Rose's figure and everyone gaped in astonishment. The Doctor barely collected his thoughts before he could call out a warning. "DON'T!" Too late.

Rose received Davros's shock straight to the chest. She stood, paralyzed for a few seconds, then groaned as the gun fell from her hand and she collapsed to the floor. Grins were wiped off of everybody's faces.

"Activate holding cell," said Davros with cold fury. A beam of light shot down and encased Rose's body. Suddenly, Donna rushed out of the TARDIS.

"Rose!" She ran and picked up the detaliser, eyeing it awkwardly. "I've got it! But I don't know what to do!" Donna was also gifted with a blue streak of lightning hitting home. She flew backwards.

"Donna! ROSE!" The Doctor was frantic. He had to get out of his cell and get to Rose…and Donna….

Donna's body hit the control panel and she slumped against it, unconscious. "Donna, are you alright Donna?!" The Doctor was definitely panicking now.

"Destroy the weapon!" called Davros. A Dalek laser shot out and obliterated the thing. "I was wrong about your warriors, Doctor. They are pathetic."

"DETONATION IN 20 RELS."

"How are you alive?!" the Doctor asks Rose.

"Never mind that, now we've got no way of stopping the reality bomb," she replies, not looking at him.

"Stand witness, Time Lord. Stand witness, humans." Davros flicked a switch, and a screen appeared, showing the planets on fire. "Your strategies have failed, your weapons are useless, and, oh….the end of the universe has come."

"9….8….7….," the Supreme Dalek continued to count down.

Rose paid no notice. She seemed to be concentrating completely on Donna, almost burning a hole through her with her eyes.

"3….2…1…0." Nothing happened. The power went down and the screen disappeared. Everybody glanced around the room, shocked. All of their eyes landed on the smug form of Donna, standing near the control center.

* * *

**Really sorry for the late update. Anyway, we have about 1 or 2 chapters left before this story's over. But don't worry; I will be making a series 5, 6, and 7 rewrite, probably including specials. I might have a larger interval between the new story's updates, just because episodes are a little harder to rewrite. Also, sorry for how short this chapter is. I promise the next one will be longer. Hang in there! And if it's not too much trouble, please review in that little box down there. Reviews make my day :)**


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who. All rights go to the BBC.**

* * *

"Oooh, closing all zed nutrino relay loops using an internalised synchronous backfeed reversal loop," Donna said, a smile lighting up her features. She flicked a switch. "That button there."

All the Daleks turn around. "SYSTEM IN SHUTDOWN!"

The Supreme Dalek was waving his appendages around frantically. "DETONATION NEGATIVE. EXPLAIN! EXPLAIN! EXPLAIN!"

The Doctor just plainly stared at Donna. "Donna, you can't even change a plug."

"D'ya wanna bet, Time boy?"

Davros interrupts. "You'll suffer for this," he grated out. He raised his arm, ready to fire another bolt of electricity, when Donna tilted her head and flipped a lever. The blue electricity backfired and shot up his arm, effectively silencing him.

"Ooooh, bio-electric dampening field with a retrobasive L-conversion," she said, beaming.

Davros retaliated immediately. "Exterminate her!" He jabbed a finger at Donna.

"EXTERMINATE!" Donna began frantically pressing buttons and flicking levers as the Daleks advanced on her. The Daleks all pointed their weapons in her direction. Nothing happened. They looked down at their guns and wiggled them about, trying to decipher their faultiness.

"WEAPONS NONFUNCTIONAL!"

"What? Macro-transmission filkater wavelength blocking Dalek weaponry and self-replicating a new byfold matrix!" Donna said in a sing-song voice.

The Doctor was utterly stunned. "How did you work that out? You're…"

"Time Lord. Part Time Lord." Rose cut him off.

"Part human," Donna finishes. "That was a two-way biological metacrisis." She contemplates for a moment. "Of sorts...anyway. Half Time Lord. Half Donna!" she said excitedly.

"The DoctorDonna," whispers the Doctor. "Just like the Ood said, remember, they saw it coming. The DoctorDonna." Donna beams at him.

"Holding cells deactivated. And seal the Vault," she said. The Doctor momentarily forgot about Donna as he ran to Rose and embraced her, spinning her around. They both grinned manically.

"Don't just stand there you skinny boy in a suit. Get to work!" Donna interrupted. The Doctor and Rose smile at each other, then rushed over to the controls that Donna was stationed at.

"Stop them! Get her away from the controls!" yells Davros.

Donna flicked a lever then spun a dial. "Aaaaand spin." The Daleks began to twirl about the Vault.

"HELP ME. HELP ME," said a Dalek. Captain Jack laughed.

"And the other way," Donna said playfully. She spun the dial opposite of what it was originally.

"What did you do?" the Doctor asked.

Donna replied without hesitation. "Lipstick in the circuit-breaker in the psychokinetic threshold manipulator."

"But that's brilliant!" the Doctor exclaimed.

"Why did you never think of that?" Rose asked the Doctor.

Donna replied instead. "Because you were just a Time Lord, you dumbo, lacking that little bit of human. That gut instinct that comes hand in hand with planet Earth. I can think of ideas you couldn't dream of in a million years. Ah, the universe has been waiting for me. Now, let's send that trip switch all over the ship. Did I ever tell you, best temp in Chiswick? Hundred words per minute."

"Ha!" said the Doctor triumphantly.

* * *

"SYSTEM MALFUNCTION."

"MOTOR CASING INTERFERENCE."

"WHAT IS HAPPENING? EXPLAIN!"

* * *

"Come on then. We've got 27 planets to send home. Activate magnetron," commanded Donna.

Jack had gone into the TARDIS to retrieve weapons worthy of facing the Daleks.

"Stop this at once!" Davros advanced on them. Just then, Jack stepped out of the TARDIS holding two big guns.

"Mickey!" he called. Mickey whirled around and caught the gun that Jack had sent flying his way.

"You will desist!" screams Davros. Mickey rushed up to him and pressed the gun right up in front of Davros. "Just stay where you are, mister."

Daleks still spun all through the vault. Jack kicked one near him. "Out of the way!" Everyone started shoving and pushing Daleks away from the TARDIS and the controls of the Crucible.

"Ready? And reverse!" called Donna. She pulled down a set of levers and the 27 planets began to disappear, returning to their original positions in time and space.

"Off you go, Clom," said the Doctor, flicking switches.

"Back home, Adipose 3!"

"Shallakatop, Pyrovillia, and the Lost Moon of Poosh!" Donna kicked a lever with her foot. "Sorted! Ha!"

"We've got power!" declared the Doctor.

"Right," said Jack. "Is anyone gonna tell us what's going on?" He gestured to Donna.

"Well, when Donna opened the watch and I became the real me again, it hadn't been opened for a very long time. It was very similar to a regeneration, so I still had residual cellular energy and was able to transfer some of that into Donna so she could break us out. I don't know exactly what happens now," replied Rose. She chewed her lip nervously.

The Doctor stared at her, eyes as wide as saucers. He couldn't find any words to say.

"Anyway," Donna said, "I got the best bit of a Time Lord. I got the mind."

"So there's three now? Three Time Lords?" asked Sarah-Jane.

"I can't tell you what I'm thinking right now…" Jack said. He shook his head and looked away.

Davros spun around to face Caan. "But you promised me, Dalek Caan, why did you not foresee this?" Instead of replying, Caan laughed hysterically.

The Doctor cut in. "Oh, I think he did. Something's been manipulating the time lines for ages, getting Donna Noble and Rose Tyler to the right place at the right time."

"This always would have happened," began Caan. "I only helped the Doctor."

Davros was furious. "You betrayed the Daleks!"

Caan's reply was instantaneous. "I saw the Daleks. What we have done throughout time and space. I saw the truth of us, creator, and I decreed NO MORE."

The Supreme Dalek chose this exact moment to drop into the Vault, but Jack saw him first.

"Heads up!"

"DAVROS, YOU HAVE BETRAYED US," the Supreme Dalek stated.

Davros was indignant. "It was Dalek Caan!"

"THE VAULT WILL BE PURGED. YOU WILL ALL BE EXTERMINATED." It shot the control panel, throwing Donna, the Doctor, and Rose back in a shower of sparks.

"Like I was saying, feel this!" Jack shouted. He lifted his gun and pulled the trigger. The casing of the Supreme Dalek explodes, effectively killing it.

The Doctor leapt back up to the control panel, trying to dissipate the smoke by waving his hand. "Oh, we've lost the magnetron, and there's only one planet left." His eyes widen in amusement. "Oh, and guess which one, but we can use the TARDIS." The Doctor rushed into the TARDIS and began fiddling with the controls.

"Holding stability, maintaining atmospheric shell…." He rambled.

* * *

"THE PROPHECY MUST BE COMPLETE," said Dalek Caan.

"Don't listen to him!" exclaimed Davros.

"I HAVE SEEN THE END OF EVERYTHING DALEK, AND YOU MUST MAKE IT HAPPEN, DOCTOR."

"He's right," said Rose. "'Cause with or without a reality bomb, this Dalek Empire's big enough to slaughter the cosmos. They've got to be stopped."

Donna wasn't so sure. "But just – just wait for the Doctor."

"We can't. The TARDIS says this has to happen NOW." Rose began to flip levers. "Maximizing Dalekanium power feeds, blasting them back!"

Donna was frightened. This wasn't really Rose, was it? She would never do such a thing…

Inside the TARDIS, the Doctor could hear the Daleks combust, one by one. He could feel the Crucible shaking the TARIDS beneath his feet. The Doctor ran outside and saw the last of the Daleks explode. He was positively furious. He spotted Rose.

"What have you done!?"

She turned her head to stare at him. "Fulfilling the prophecy."

This wasn't Rose. She would never commit genocide, be it Daleks or not. "Do you have any idea what you've done!?" the Doctor yelled at her. She flinched visibly. "Get in the TARDIS." She ran inside, not daring to question him.

"Everyone!" he shouted. "All of you, inside! Run! Run, run, run, run, run! Sarah-Jane, Jack, Jackie, Donna, Mickey!" Everyone is safely inside the TARDIS.

The entire Crucible shakes and fire erupts everywhere, while debris rains down from the ceiling.

Davros was still trapped. The Doctor had to save him. "Davros! Come with me! I can save you, I promise!"

Davros paid no heed. "Never forget, Doctor. You did this! I name you forever! You are the destroyer of worlds!" he began to laugh hysterically. The Doctor stared at him.

Caan interuupted. "One will still die…."

The Doctor turned from the destruction and entered the TARDIS, seeing his companions all positioned around the controls.

"And off we go!" he flips a lever.

* * *

After they returned Earth to its original position, and sent everybody back home the Doctor entered the TARDIS once more. Rose hadn't spoken to him since his outburst. She was sitting quietly on the jump seat, fidgeting. Donna sat next to her, whispering something into her ear. Rose nodded, not saying anything.

Donna looked up and saw him. She motioned for him to talk to Rose, who was still staring at the ground. The Doctor walked forward while Donna stood up and walked down the hallway, giving them privacy.

The Doctor crouched in front of Rose and took her hands in his, all previous ire gone. She looked into his eyes, then glanced away, ashamed.

"Why did you do that?" he whispered softly. She didn't reply. He didn't really expect her to.

He continued. "You know, if I was younger, before you made me a better man, I would've done the same thing." He tried to look into her eyes, but she was always looking elsewhere. "Which makes me wonder….; you were always so full of mercy, Rose. You taught me to be, too. Which is why I'm confused." Suddenly his voice turned eerily quiet. "You committed genocide, Rose."

This was when she broke down. She sunk to her knees before him and curled inward upon herself, her body heaving with sobs. The Doctor gingerly pulled her small form to him and held and rocked her while she released her sorrows.

He spoke a little louder so she would hear him. "I just want to know why."

* * *

**Ok, so the next chapter will probably be a pretty short one, I'll try to get it finished quickly. I just haven't been able to get around to my story too much lately. Anyway, I have decided to rewrite series 5,6, and 7, including specials. Just be forewarned, it may take longer intervals between updates. Episodes are hard to weave characters into without straying too far from the main plot line. I'm going to have a poll put up that will decide whether you guys want me to keep Donna in the story or not. It's flexible. But again, if I do it will be longer between updates. Please review!**


	9. Chapter 9

**I profusely apologize for this taking so long. I know this isn't an appropriate excuse, but I had serious writer's block and I've had a lot to do lately. This chapter's pretty short, but I hope you enjoy it while I am typing up the next one. :)**

**By the way, I should mention that the Doctor and Rose have left Jackie in the parallel world. Only the Doctor, Rose, and Donna are presently aboard the TARDIS.**

**Alright, read on!**

* * *

"Please…. I'm so sorry, forgive me," Rose whispered. The Doctor looked down at her. Her cheeks were tear-stained and her eyes were staring off into the unknowns of the TARDIS.

"Rose, Rose, it's alright," he said soothingly. Rose was always such an avid soul and it broke his hearts to see her reduced to a sobbing mess. "You were brave back there. Not many humans could do what you've done."

"Yeah, well, I'm not human," she replied resentfully. This statement rekindled that same spark of wonder and shock that he had felt in the Crucible. His hearts beat faster in his chest and he hugged her closer.

"Yeah, that's another thing I've been wondering about," he told her. "But let's talk about the situation at hand." He tried to nudge her into recounting what she'd done so he'd understand. It was all completely absurd! Genocide and Time Lords. Those two always seemed to seek out the other. They fit together quite nicely, actually – on one too many occasions.

The Doctor couldn't stop the wave of guilt that hit him like a ton of bricks. It was extremely hypocritical of him to be getting angry at Rose and scolding her for her actions when he had done the same willfully, and with even worse consequences. She was probably just ensuring that the most dangerous beings in the universe were stopped when she had the opportunity so they could no longer inflict pain upon others. The Daleks were bred to hate, it's woven into the very fibers of their beings.

If they did not do as they were born to, if they did not feel only hate, if they ever, for one moment, felt anything more than what they are, anything _better, _they would be killed. If by their own hand, or another's. It was inevitable. Daleks were never meant to have happy endings.

And it just so happens that the Doctor was never meant to, either.

But that's alright. After all, everything has to end sometime, or else nothing would ever get started.

Rose sat up slightly in the Doctor's arms. "I don't really want to talk about it right now. It's not really something you can explain over a cup of tea." She attempted a smile, but failed miserably. "I just need some rest. I-I'll try to explain everything later. Just – not this moment."

The Doctor understood. As much as he needed and wanted answers, she'd been through much and it was only right she got some respite.

Rose stood up sluggishly and headed to her room, hanging her head.

The Doctor leaped up with unbidden gusto as soon as she was out of sight and twirled around the console in an allegro dance. Of course he didn't feel reminiscent of his actions, but it cheered him up, albeit slightly. He sent them into the vortex, the one place where time didn't matter or move in a linear pattern. That should give Rose all the time she needed to recuperate.

And so the Doctor waited.

* * *

**Once more, thank you for all the kind reviews! They really keep me going and they help me improve my writing. Also, if you haven't yet, tell me if you want Donna to stay with the Doctor and Rose, or leave. Leave your answer in the reviews or on the poll on my profile page. I would really appreciate it! Thank you to everyone! And if you have the time, leave a review in the little box down there. Yep, right there. :)**


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who. All rights go to the BBC.**

* * *

It had been about 2 hours since Rose had gone to her room, and the Doctor, being the Time Lord that he was, had been all but twitching. He knew Rose needed some time, but he wasn't a patient man. After all, patience was for wimps.

He done everything he could to try to alleviate his boredom, but the constant niggling feeling in the back of his head kept him from doing so. He really wanted to speak with Rose. He'd no idea what had made her do what she did, and he was determined to find out. In fact, his mind was so focused on other things that he'd already gone through 4 toasters, trying to 'fix' them.

He'd decided he had done enough damage, and was now sitting in the captain's chair, bouncing his knee and twiddling his thumbs. He was trying, he really was, but the urge to go to Rose's room was far too overwhelming. Finally, he stood up, no longer fidgeting, and made his way boldly down the hall to Rose's room.

He probably knew the way better than Rose did herself, and that was something that he almost had the decency to be ashamed of.

All of his companions' rooms were archived, never deleted. They were much too precious. Beautiful remnants of his past. Each companion's door was specifically designed for them, chosen for them. While most of the doors were beautiful and extravagant, Rose's was crafted out of wood, straight from Earth. The wood was worn and warped, it twisted with patterns impossible to follow with the eye.

Beautiful yet imperfect. Just like Rose.

He rapped softly with his knuckles. No answer. He knocked a little more forcefully. Still no answer. What could she be doing in there?

He lightly nudged the door open and poked his head inside.

It was very dim, the only source of light being a small lamp on a nightstand. He let his eyes adjust.

_There. _She was sitting rigid on the bed, staring straight ahead. The Doctor tiptoed forward quietly, not wanting to surprise her.

"Rose?"

She didn't even look in his direction.

"Rose, please. I really need to talk to you."

She remained as still as a statue. The Doctor stepped farther into the room to stand directly in front of Rose. He knelt down so he could look into her eyes. He brought his hand up and waved in front of her face. She didn't even blink. By now the Doctor was worried.

"Rose! Come on, look at me!" he cried desperately. He shook her shoulders, but her eyes remained glazed over. He placed two fingers on her wrist to check her pulse. It was hardly there. The Doctor, on the verge of panic, gathered her in his arms and bolted out of the room and down the hallway.

"Come on, come on, stay with me….."

The hall was long, dark, and twisted. In his panic, the Doctor ran aimlessly before he realized where he needed to go. He called out to the TARDIS silently, willing her to bring the infirmary closer. She obeyed, and the wall to the Doctor's left shimmered, and a doorway appeared where some nice banana wallpaper had been.

He sprinted inside with his precious cargo and laid her down on one of the cool, metal tables. He rushed around, gathering foreign medical equipment in his arms. Plonking the machinery onto a small stand adjacent to the medical table, the Doctor wrenched a chair over beside Rose, and put his stethoscope on. He felt her heartbeat, but it was fading quickly. Yanking it from his ears, he hurled the instrument across the room.

He was starting to get frustrated. He pulled at his hair and spun around, searching desperately for something that might aid him. Despite being a doctor, he hadn't properly _been _one, per se, for quite a while. He racked his brain frantically, needing to recall some of that old expertise.

_Ah ha! _It wacked him right between the eyes, what he needed to do. His hands a blur, he snatched ridiculous-looking objects up, plugging them in where they need be, and using them to whatever purpose they were designed.

If he was correct in what he'd diagnosed her with, she should be up and moving in no time, but, it would probably take a while.

That's alright. He's already done plenty of waiting tonight, a little longer wouldn't hurt. And then, maybe, he'd finally get to speak with Rose.

The Doctor would never leave Rose Tyler's side, so that's exactly what he didn't do. He pulled his chair up closer and rested his head on the cool metal. Time Lords didn't need much sleep at all, so it hardly mattered how comfortable his position was. All that did matter was that Rose was safe.

* * *

He didn't know what awoke him, but he did know that it was barely discernible. Hardly even a sound. The only reason he'd picked it up was due to his fabulously supernatural hearing. He lifted his head slowly, and blinked his eyes blearily.

_There. _The slight rustle of clothing, the twitch of a finger. Rose was waking up! The Doctor shot up like a rocket. In his haste he stumbled backward over his chair, knocking it down, then falling on his bum himself with one leg draped over his fallen seat.

At the noise, Rose's body sat bolt upright with wide, startled eyes. Her gaze landed on the disheveled Time Lord, a smile playing over her lips. His hair was all askew and his suit was rumpled. His wide-eyed, surprised look only added to the giggle threatening to burst from her mouth.

Finally she could bear it no longer, and a full laugh echoed in the sterile room. The Doctor smiled, the first genuine one since the Crucible. Rose leaned down and offered her hand. He accepted, and Rose hauled him up.

"How're you feeling?" he asked. She certainly seemed fine.

"A little nauseous, other than that, yeah, I'm great." She smiled at him. Suddenly, an overwhelming sense of happiness at having him back washed over her. Rose pulled the Doctor to her and hugged him, tight. He was surprised at first, and he stiffened, but then he brought his arms up and wrapped her in an equally tight embrace, burying his face in her hair.

Unfortunately, Donna chose this exact moment to bustle down the hallway. One look and she turned herself around faster than if she were running from the Daleks.

The Doctor finally released Rose and pulled her back so he could look her in the eye.

"Are you ready to talk?"

She bit her lip a little, some of her previous happiness sapped away. Her gaze scurried along the floor for a moment before glancing up to look at the Doctor.

"Yeah, I think I am."

He smiled softly as relief washed over him. Finally, he could get some answers. "C'mon, let's get some breakfast – er…lunch – no, dinner - …"

Rose giggled slightly. "C'mon." She grabbed his sleeve and yanked him down to the kitchen. When they arrived, Donna was already seated at the table sipping at a cup of tea. She glanced up. "Should I go? Are you two going to have a moment or….." She smirked.

The Doctor blushed a little, much to Donna's amusement, and swallowed. "Yeah, if you don't mind…."

"Of course not!" Donna bustled past the Doctor. Just before she left, however, she whispered into his ear. "Good luck." The Doctor smiled gratefully at her retreating back. He then rushed up to the cupboard to grab two mugs. Thankfully Donna left the kettle on, so they had some hot water. He poured them both some tea then set the cups on the table.

Rose settled herself down on one end of the table, while the Doctor took the other. They both sipped their tea in silence for a few moments until the Doctor spoke.

"Do you know why you were in the infirmary?" he questioned. Rose shifted a little nervously but she replied.

"No."

"Do you want me to tell you?"

"Fire away."

"Well, you know how you're Gallifreyan now and….." she nodded, urging him to continue. He swallowed. "And…since you've been human for a while before anyone ever opened that watch, I think it's safe to say that it overloaded your senses." Rose gave him a questioning look so he elaborated.

"Time Lords have heightened senses, they can hear better, see better, smell better, taste better, and feel more than any ordinary human can. When you've spent over 20 years adapting to the human way of experiencing the world, it really hits you when your perspective is widened to an even more amazing degree, and without proper help it can become fatal. That's how I found you." He glanced over at her. "Thankfully I helped you before anything else could take place. You're fine."

Rose paused a moment to take this in, then nodded in understanding. "That makes sense. That's exactly what happened when I was in my room, minutes after I left you in the console room. How long were you waiting?"

"About 2 hours."

"2 hours…." She echoed. She seemed to stare of into space for a moment. Her gaze snapped back to meet his own. "But I'm okay now, right?"

"Right," he answered. She let out a sigh of relief.

"Is it alright if we talk about what happened at the Crucible now?" he inquired a little nervously.

Rose gave a resigned sigh. "Yeah, yeah."

"Why?" he asked simply.

His curtness surprised her. And in return, she would give a slight answer as well.

"The TARDIS."

* * *

**Hopefully I'll be able to update again sooner. It's spring break so I should be able to post another chapter before a week passes. Thank you to everyone for supporting me! Thanks to everyone who's favorited (new word), reviewed, and last but not least: read! Also please leave a review, those make my day :)**


	11. Chapter 11

**Sorry this is a little over the amount of time I promised for this chapter to be up, but Microsoft Word wouldn't load and when it did, it crashed and deleted what I wrote. That's mostly the reason this chapter's so short. So I hope you'll forgive me :)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who. All rights go to the BBC.**

* * *

"What do you mean, the TARDIS? How can it _possibly _be the TARDIS?"

Rose started to get annoyed. "I _mean_, the TARDIS has been telling me what to do ever since I got here."

"Why would she do that? Why would she tell you to commit _genocide?_" the Doctor asked incredulously. He could not believe the TARDIS had the audacity and the callousness required for such a thing.

"I don't know!" Rose said, her voice rising with her anger.

"Are you sure?" the Doctor asked. "Are you sure that you had nothing to do with this? Don't lie to me."

"I'm not lying, Doctor. You and I both know that I would never do that. It only happened because I trust the TARDIS and her judgment." Rose spoke sincerely.

The Doctor still eyed her warily. He stood up. "Then I'm sure a nice conversation with the TARDIS is way overdue." He glanced back at Rose. "Stay here. Don't move."

She nodded vigorously and he stepped out into the hallway. He took long strides, determined to get to the bottom of this.

As he stepped into the console room, he could sense the TARDIS's withdrawnness. She didn't want to speak with him. _Oh, that's not going to happen, _he thought.

The Doctor strode right up to the control panel and glared at the central column.

"I don't care whether you like it or not," he said, "but we're going to talk." He almost felt like a parent chastising a child.

She hummed in defiance, clearly wanting him to leave. He pressed further still.

"I can't keep guessing. You're my own ship; you're basically the only thing I have. You know everything about me. I think I deserve to know what is going on." He glanced up at the time column again, expecting a response.

The TARDIS buzzed reluctantly, but telepathically agreed to his demands. The Doctor's face relaxed in relief. He allowed her entrance into his mind.

He was disoriented at first. A flash of color burned through his psyche, causing a sharp pain to come into existence behind his eyes. In the time it took someone to blink, the Doctor had received millions of years of screams, terror, and utter helplessness.

He reeled backwards, tripping on the grating and flinging himself onto the captain's chair. He sat there, overwhelmed, gasping for breath. He realized now, what had happened.

If the TARDIS hadn't told Rose to destroy the Daleks, they would have continued to dominate the universe. They would have most definitely used the reality bomb, and the TARDIS knew that.

The Doctor understood now, and despite his anger, he knew he had to apologize. He looked down at his feet, then back up to the column.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know. You were only trying to help."

The TARDIS blinked her lights in approval, and the Doctor smiled. "Thanks. Now I'd better apologize to Rose, too." He puffed air out of his cheeks. "Might as well get on with it," he muttered to himself.

The Doctor ambulated slowly down the corridor. He'd never been very good at apologizing.

Upon arriving in the kitchen, the Doctor realized Rose had left. A half-full cup of tea sat neglected on the table.

He sighed. She never did listen to him, did she?

* * *

**Yeah, yeah, I know, awful place to cut this off. But it had to be short to get it up on time; I'm already late. But thank you to all of you for your support, and if you don't mind, please leave a review! Reviews are cool. **


End file.
